At this month’s NATO summit in Chicago, the UK, US and our allies will have a hard look at how we are equipped to confront threats in the twenty-first century.
Recent NATO missions have shown the benefit of modern capabilities and Smart Defence. Unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles and smart munitions were crucial to the air campaign in Libya that protected civilian lives and led to the removal of Muammar Qaddhafi. These same technologies have been crucial to protecting and assisting our Armed Forces on the ground in Afghanistan.
But we also need to be ready for the full spectrum of security challenges we may face in the future. With allies on both sides of the Atlantic facing the reality of reducing budgets during difficult economic times, this requires rigorous prioritisation of defence spending.
It’s a process with which the UK is already familiar. In 2010, the UK conducted a thorough review of its national security strategy and the resources required to deliver it – the Strategic Defence and Security Review. This prioritised the national security risks we expect to face in the future, and made decisions about the type of military force the UK will need in the next ten years. It began the process of transformation towards Future Force 2020: a vision for the UK’s armed forces over the next decade describing a military which is versatile, effective and capable.
A major element of Future Force 2020 is a carrier-strike capability, based around new Queen Elizabeth class carriers and the new Joint Strike Fighter. This week, the Defence Secretary announced this capability will now be delivered using the more developed short take-off and vertical landing version of the Joint Strike Fighter, in order to avoid delay and extra expense.
Work on the aircraft is progressing – the UK’s first production Joint Strike Fighter made its inaugural flight last month. Construction of the carriers is also well underway; HMS Queen Elizabeth is expected to be handed over to the Royal Navy for sea trials in 2017 and flight trials the following year.
This powerful carrier-strike group will sit within a broader military force that includes new attack submarines and Type 45 Frigates, a fleet of Typhoon aircraft, world class cyber capabilities, special forces, a continuous at sea nuclear deterrent and a full spectrum Army capable of deploying either a brigade sized force for long term operations or a division sized force for one off contingencies.
The Future Force of 2020 will be a versatile, effective, capable force, meaning Britain is ready to play its part in ensuring collective readiness to respond to the security challenges of the 21st century.